Device for displaying at least one object

ABSTRACT

A device for displaying at least one object, includes a support, at least one through passage defined by the support, and at least one housing attached to the support and received at least partially within the passage. The housing includes a first portion extending from a first side of the support and a second portion having an opening accessible from a second side of the support, opposite to the first side. The opening is configured to receive an object for display. The housing includes a locking element configured to engage the object such that one portion of the object becomes reversibly locked in the housing and another portion of the object emerges from the second side of the support.

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device suitable fordisplaying at least one object, and in particular, for displayingsamples of cosmetic products, such as collections of lipsticks,foundations or blushers, for testing by consumers.

[0002] Many types of display stands for displaying products for sale arealready known. In particular, perfume departments and pharmacies employdisplay stands to present the various ranges of products of a particularcosmetic, each range showing for example a multitude of different colorsand shades.

[0003] When arranged in these display stands, the objects for displayappear on view to the consumer, appropriately laid out and, optionally,available for testing. Such display stands give the product in questionan image of quality and facilitate the consumer's search for a productof the right shade.

[0004] For aesthetic reasons, traditional display stands are designedfor products of one particular type. The detail in the structure of thedisplay stand is governed by the geometry of the products. In generalterms, of the various display stands designed for presenting lipstickand other make-up products, there are two main known types of displaystand.

[0005] A first type of display stand, usually found at points of sale,has an essentially horizontal surface, for instance, a flat or convexplate. This horizontal surface typically includes a plurality ofconcavities formed in the surface, each concavity having a closed end.Each concavity is designed to receive, as an object for display, anindividual product package or case containing a product, for instance, alipstick product in a lipstick case. The concavities usually have across section corresponding more or less to the cross section of theobject for display, for instance, the base of the lipstick case.Furthermore, the depth of the concavities is typically fairly shallow,on the order of about one centimeter.

[0006] This type of display stand has several major drawbacks. First,the objects for display, for instance, the bases of the lipstick cases,are not locked into the concavities, with the result that when thedisplay stand is jolted even slightly, the objects for displayfrequently fall out. The displayed lipstick products could then comeloose from their cases in which they are mounted or otherwise bedamaged, spoiling them and rendering them unusable for further displayor make-up tests.

[0007] In addition, with such a display stand the objects for displaycan only be installed at the point of sale. If the objects for displaywere installed elsewhere, they could fall out during transport. What ismore, losses or thefts of such displayed objects are common.

[0008] In another known type of display stand, a horizontal or verticalpanel is provided, which contains a multitude of open orifices,typically circular, in which a plurality of objects containing productsfor sampling are arranged. In this type of display stand, the protectivecaps of the product cases have been removed prior to insertion of theobjects for display into the open orifices.

[0009] This type of display stand also has disadvantages. As with thefirst type of display stand discussed above, there is no locking betweenany of the objects for display and the display stand. Again, when thestand is jolted, even slightly, the displayed objects may fall out andbe spoiled. Moreover, given this type of mounting, the objectscontaining products for sampling can only be displayed on horizontalstands, or arranged vertically at most. The display options aretherefore limited.

[0010] In addition, as with the previous type of display stand, theobjects for display can only be installed at the point of sale.Moreover, there are no individual compartments or concavities on theopposite side of the panel from the display side for each of thedisplayed objects. Thus, there is no need to retract the sampled productback into its case prior to placing the case back in the stand. Forinstance, lipstick cases may be replaced without winding down the stickof lipstick. This may result in the unsightly traces of productfrequently seen smeared all around the orifices in which the lipstickcases are inserted.

[0011] Lastly, such a display stand is unusable for presentinglipsticks, or other products, containing a high level of volatilesolvents because, after only a short time on display, such products maydry out. For instance, the stick of lipstick may harden and its surfacemay develop unattractive cracks.

[0012] Patent application FR 2 648 333 discloses a display stand forholding lipstick cases containing lipstick for sampling. This displaystand consists of a plate forming an essentially horizontal displaysurface. A plurality of concavities, each having a closed bottom, isformed in the plate. The concavities are each designed to take the baseof one lipstick case. The display surface and the concavities are bothformed from the same plate. In this type of display stand, since thedisplay surface and the concavities are both formed from the same plate,the caps of the lipstick cases cannot be used to form the concavities.

[0013] An optional object of the present invention is to solve all orsome of the problems discussed with reference to certain conventionaldisplay stands.

[0014] Accordingly, one of the optional objects of the invention is toprovide a display device that significantly reduces the risk of theobjects to be presented falling out and being damaged.

[0015] It is another optional object of the invention to provide adisplay device suitable, in particular, for displaying collections ofcosmetic products, and for storing the product satisfactorily throughoutthe display life of the product.

[0016] Yet another optional object of the invention is to provide adisplay device that offers display options that cannot be obtained withconventional display stands.

[0017] It is even another optional object of the invention to provide adisplay device in which the objects for display can be installed in thedisplay device before it is transported and set up at the point of sale.

[0018] It should be understood that the invention could still bepracticed without performing one or more of the optional objects and/oradvantages described above. Still other optional objects will becomeapparent from the detailed description that follows.

[0019] As broadly described herein, the present invention optionallyrelates to a device for displaying at least one object. The deviceincludes a support, at least one through passage defined by the support,and at least one housing attached to the support and received at leastpartially within the passage. The housing includes a first portionextending from a first side of the support and a second portion havingan opening accessible from a second side of the support, opposite to thefirst side. The opening is configured to receive an object for display.The housing includes a locking element configured to engage the objectsuch that one portion of the object becomes reversibly locked in thehousing and another portion of the object emerges from the second sideof the support.

[0020] Also as broadly described herein, the present inventionoptionally relates to a display device including a support, at least onethrough passage defined by the support, at least one housing, and atleast one object. The housing is attached to the support and is receivedat least partially within the passage. The object is received at leastpartially within the housing. The housing has a locking element and theobject has a locking element. The locking element of the housing and thelocking element of the object are configured to engage and lock theobject to the housing.

[0021] Within the meaning of the present invention, “reversibly locking”or “removably locking” the object means that the object may be lockedand unlocked from the support. Locking means that the object does notbecome detached from the housing under its own weight when the supportis turned over or tilted beyond the vertical.

[0022] The use of housings dedicated individually to each object mayensure that a product in the object is stored satisfactorily, which isparticular relevant when the object contains a product containingvolatile solvents.

[0023] The locking system used between each housing and the object thatit contains may increase the number of display options for the objectsbeing presented. The risk of the objects falling out and being damagedmay be reduced significantly.

[0024] Furthermore, when the housings are formed by separate addedelements attached to the support (i.e., when the housings and thesupport are not integrally formed from a single piece of material), theadded elements can optionally be the same caps as those fitted to theobject intended for sale. The display device can therefore bemanufactured at a very advantageous cost.

[0025] The support may be flat, arched, or any other stepped or curvedshape.

[0026] The added element forming the housing may be optionally mountednonremovably in the passage, for example, by adhesive bonding orinterference fit with the inside of the passage.

[0027] Optionally, the displayed object may include a compartmentcontaining a product, for example in the form of a solid stick, fordispensing through an opening in the compartment. The housing may beconfigured in the form of a cap capable of removably covering theopening.

[0028] In accordance with another optional aspect of the invention, theproduct may be situated on a manually movable mechanism in thecompartment. The mechanism is movable between a first position in whichthe product is substantially contained within the compartment and asecond position in which the product emerges out of the compartmentthrough the opening. According to this optional aspect, the housing isdimensioned so that it accepts the displayed object only when themechanism is in the first position.

[0029] By using the cap of the product package or case to form thehousing of the display device, a good fit between the displayed objectand the housing may be ensured. Such a fit might not be achieved if thehousing is produced only for general display purposes and withoutconsideration of the object to be displayed. In particular, by using thecaps of the product cases to form the housings, the product may beautomatically stored properly in the display device.

[0030] Furthermore, when the cap dedicated to the product case isnonremovably attached to the support of the display device, the risk oftheft may be reduced, because the product might be practically unusablewithout the cap.

[0031] In an optional embodiment, a locking element of the housing andthe corresponding locking element of the object are provided. Theselocking elements may be configured so as to engage with each other bysnap engagement in order to removably lock the object in the housing.

[0032] The locking element of the housing optionally may comprise agroove (or bead) formed, for instance, in the vicinity of the opening ofthe housing, and which is designed to engage with a corresponding bead(or groove) provided on a base of the object. The base of the object mayinclude the axially movable base and its drive mechanism.

[0033] In another optional embodiment of the invention, the supportcomprises a plurality of passages associated with a plurality ofhousings so that a plurality of objects can be displayed.

[0034] Optionally again, each housing may be at least partially formedof a transparent material. Likewise, the support optionally may be atleast partially formed of a transparent material. This would allow theconsumer to see the color of the product through the support or throughthe housing.

[0035] The locking element of the housing and the corresponding lockingelement of the object optionally may be designed in such a way that theproduct is contained in a substantially airtight manner inside thehousing.

[0036] It may be desirable to provide the support with a mirror so thatthe consumer can easily do a dab test.

[0037] The device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of theinvention is particularly suitable for displaying cosmetic objects,especially make-up products, such as collections of lipsticks.

[0038] Optionally, in accordance with the invention, a method isprovided. The method includes providing a display device as describedherein and inserting an object for display into the housing of thedisplay device at a site remote from a point of sale. The method alsoincludes transporting the display device from the remote site to thepoint of sale and using the device to display the object to consumersfor purposes of testing the product. The object for display contains aproduct for sampling.

[0039] Besides the structural arrangement and procedural aspectsdescribed above, there could include a number of other arrangements,such as those explained hereinafter. It is to be understood that boththe foregoing description and the following description are exemplary.

[0040] The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification. The drawings illustrate an optionalembodiment of the invention. In the drawings:

[0041]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display device according to anoptional embodiment of the invention; and

[0042]FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in partial longitudinal section throughthe display device of FIG. 1.

[0043] Reference will now be made in detail to optional embodiments ofthe invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers are used in thedrawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

[0044] Referring to these figures, a display device in accordance withone optional embodiment of the invention is generally denoted byreference number 1.

[0045] The display device 1, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is essentiallymade of plastic. The display device 1 generally includes a board 10 anda back 3. In the example considered, the board 10 forms a support 12 forthe objects to be displayed. The support 12 defines an upper face 12 aand a lower face 12 b. The board 10 is oriented horizontally and isdesigned to take a plurality of objects for display, such as lipstickcases.

[0046] The display device 1 could be made formed of any other suitablematerial, including, but not limited to, any lightweight relativelystiff material such as wood, cardboard (laminated or unlaminated) orfoam (laminated or unlaminated).

[0047] The board 10 may of course have a different orientation, such asa vertical or inclined orientation, at any angle of inclination.

[0048] The support 12 is optionally made of acrylic glass, especiallytransparent acrylic glass. The back 3 is a plate oriented approximatelyvertically and including a portion 3 a extending upward from the support12. This portion 3 a may carry a mirror 4 to enable the consumer to testthe product. Another portion 3 b of the back 3 extends downwards fromthe support 12 and may be fitted with a component enabling the displaydevice to be stood upright (not shown for reasons of clarity).Alternatively, the back 3 may comprise a fastening system for mountingthe display device on a vertical surface (also not shown), such as awall.

[0049]FIGS. 1 and 2 show a plurality of objects for display 100, such aslipstick cases containing lipstick product. Other cosmetic product casescontaining products for sampling purposes may also be displayed. Theseobjects may be of the type having a base 2 in which is mounted anaxially movable compartment 14 containing a lipstick product P. (Theaxial movement structure could be any well known, manually operablemechanism for axial moving the product P.) The bases 2 are arranged onthe upper face 12 a of the support 12, so that an emerging end of thelipstick product P hangs down below the support 12. To enable the bases2 to be fitted to the support 12, the latter is provided with aplurality of passages 20 passing through the support. The dimensions ofthe passages 20 are such that a portion 2 b, typically cylindrical, ofeach base 2 can be received by the corresponding passage 20. An openedge or shoulder 2 a on the base 2 abuts the upper edge or orifice 20 aof the passage 20, thereby limiting how far the base 2 can be insertedinto the support 12.

[0050] Mounted inside each passage 20 is a housing, in this instance, anadded element such as cap 8 of the object being displayed. Such a cap 8is typically cylindrical in shape, although other non-circularcross-sections could be used. The cap 8 has a closed end 8 a and an openend 8 b. The closed end 8 a is bottommost, whereas the open end 8 b islocated adjacent the edge 20 a (FIG. 2) of the passage 20.

[0051] The caps 8 may be made of a transparent plastic material, e.g.polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyacrylate, etc. Alternatively, the caps 8may be made of non-transparent material, including both plastics andmetals.

[0052] The height of the cap 8 is optionally such that the emerging partof the lipstick product P cannot touch the closed end or bottom 8 a ofthe cap when the lipstick product is maximally retracted inside thecompartment 14.

[0053]FIG. 2 shows in greater detail how a collection of lipstick cases100 is mounted on the support 12. FIG. 2 shows the cap 8 fixed inside apassage 20, which passes through support 12. The cap 8 extends from thepassage 20 out the underside of the lower face 12 b. The cap 8 may benonremovably fixed to the support 12, for example, by adhesive bondingor by interference fit.

[0054] Adjacent the open end 8 b of the cap 8, a locking element, forinstance, an annular groove 34, is provided on the inside of the cap 8.This annular groove engages with a locking element on the object, forinstance, an annular bead 32 on the base 2. The bead/groove system mayserve both to removably lock the base 2 in its corresponding housing orcap 8 and to seal the product against, for instance, the effects ofdirt, grime, or the atmosphere.

[0055] Alternatively, the locking element of the housing could be anannular bead and the locking element of the object could be an annulargroove. Furthermore, other arrangements of locking elements, such asdiscontinuous snapping arrangements, rotationally engaging arrangements,including, but not limited to, threads or ramps, or even frictionallyengaging locking arrangements could be utilized to removably lock theobject being displayed to the housing.

[0056] Arranged inside the base 2, the outer form which may be of anyprofile, is the axially movable compartment 14 containing the product P.The base 2 is closed by a bottom 6. Mounted inside the base is acylindrical sleeve 5 with a free edge 30 emerging a short distance fromthe open edge 2 a of the base 2. The emerging part or free edge 30 isradially elastically deformable and carries an annular bead 32. Thus,with the aid of a snap-fastening system, the base 2 is kept on the cap8, which in turn is mounted (removably or nonremovably) in the support12. This method of locking the base 2 to the cap 8 may be accomplishedin an airtight manner. Consequently a support 12 can be pre-equippedwith a large number of objects for display, such as lipstick cases, andcan be sent “ready-to-use” to the points of sale, with no risk that theproduct P will become detached or spoiled.

[0057] The bottom 6 of the base 2 is provided with an internal hollowshaft 7 of cylindrical shape. The diameter of the hollow shaft 7 is suchthat it can be fitted with force into the lower end 16 of a mechanism 18of a conventional lipstick case. Fixing a lipstick case mechanism inthis way, i.e., with the aid of a hollow shaft inside a base, isconventional and is described, for example, in FR-A-2 575 374.

[0058] The mechanism 18 has a cylindrical jacket 36, which is rotatablerelative to the lower end 16. Because the lower end 16 is immobilizedwith respect to the base 2, the consumer can, by turning the jacket 36,while keeping the base stationary, adjust the position of the lipstickproduct P, between a substantially retracted position and an extendedposition of the lipstick product P.

[0059] When the caps 8 are integrated nonremovably into the support 12,there is less risk of theft of the lipstick cases, because the product Pwould be of no practical utility without a proper protective cap.

[0060] Another optional advantage of the invention is that the caps 8mounted in the support 12 can be the same caps as those fitted to theobjects intended for sale. This factor means that the display device canbe manufactured at a very advantageous cost.

[0061] What is more, with the display device as described it is possibleto position the support overhead, above the eyes of the consumer. Thisopens up new possibilities for the arrangement of display units in whichthe consumer faces the displayed objects directly. The consumer can theneasily select the object containing the desired product and test it.

[0062] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the structure andmethodology described herein. Thus, it should be understood that theinvention is not limited to the examples discussed in the specification.Rather, the present invention is intended to cover modifications andvariations.

What is claimed is
 1. A device for displaying at least one object, the device comprising: a support; at least one through passage defined by the support; and at least one housing attached to the support and received at least partially within the passage, the housing comprising a first portion extending from a first side of the support and a second portion including an opening accessible from a second side of the support, opposite to the first side, the opening being configured to receive an object for display, wherein the housing comprises a locking element configured to engage the object such that one portion of the object becomes reversibly locked in the housing and another portion of the object emerges from the second side of the support.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is nonremovably mounted in the passage.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the housing is attached to the support by one of adhesive bonding and interference between the housing and the support.
 4. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one object for display.
 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the object defines a compartment containing at least a portion of the product, and a compartment opening through which the product is capable of emerging.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the product is in the form of a stick.
 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the product comprises lipstick.
 8. The device of claim 5, wherein the housing is configured in the form of a cap configured to removably cover the compartment opening.
 9. The device of claim 4, wherein the object comprises an object locking element configured to engage the locking element of the housing.
 10. The device of claim 5, further comprising a mechanism configured to move the product between a first position wherein the product is contained within the compartment and a second position wherein the product emerges out of the compartment via the compartment opening.
 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the housing is dimensioned such that the object is capable of being locked in the housing only when the product is in the first position.
 12. The device of claim 1, wherein the locking element is configured to engage the object by a snap engagement.
 13. The device of claim 12, wherein the locking element comprises at least one of a groove and a bead, and wherein the locking element is configured to engage with at least one of a groove and a bead provided on the object.
 14. The device of claim 1, wherein the support defines a plurality of passages and the device comprises a plurality of housings associated with the passages so that a plurality of objects may be displayed.
 15. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the housing is formed of transparent material.
 16. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the support is formed of transparent material.
 17. The device of claim 1, wherein the locking element is configured to engage the object so that a product associated with the object is maintained in a substantially airtight manner.
 18. The device of claim 1, further comprising a mirror provided on the support.
 19. The device of claim 4, wherein the object comprises a cosmetic product.
 20. A device for displaying at least one object, the device comprising: a support; at least one through passage defined by the support; at least one housing attached to the support and received at least partially within the passage, the housing having a locking element; and at least one object received at least partially within the housing, the object having a locking element, wherein the locking element of the housing and the locking element of the object are configured to engage and lock the object to the housing.
 21. The device of claim 20, wherein the locking element of the housing and the locking element of the object are configured to engage and reversibly lock the object to the housing.
 22. The device of claim 21, wherein the housing is nonremovably mounted within the passage by one of adhesive bonding and interference fit.
 23. The device of claim 20, wherein the housing is removably locked to the support.
 24. The device of claim 21, wherein the housing is configured in the form of a cap supplied with an object offered for sale.
 25. The device of claim 20, wherein the housing is at least partially formed from a transparent material.
 26. The device of claim 20, wherein the support is at least partially formed from a transparent material.
 27. The device of claim 20, wherein the support comprises a plurality of passages and the device comprises a plurality of housings associated with the passages, each housing being configured to receive one of a plurality of objects.
 28. The device of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of objects, wherein the plurality of objects comprises lipstick devices containing lipstick.
 29. The device of claim 20, wherein the object includes a compartment containing the product and a compartment opening through which the product emerges, the housing being configured in the form of a cap capable of removably covering the compartment opening.
 30. The device of claim 29, wherein the object comprises a mechanism movable between a first position in which the product is substantially contained within the compartment and a second position in which the product emerges out of the compartment through the compartment opening, the housing being dimensioned so as to accept the object only when the mechanism is in the first position.
 31. The device of claim 20, wherein the locking element of the housing and the locking element of the object are configured so as to engage with each other by snap engagement in order to removably lock the object in the housing.
 32. The device of claim 31, wherein the locking element of the housing comprises one of a groove and a bead configured to engage with the corresponding other of a groove and a bead provided on the object.
 33. The device of claim 31, wherein the locking element of the housing and the locking element of the object are configured to engage to one another to maintain a product in the object in a substantially airtight manner.
 34. A method comprising: providing the device of claim 1; inserting at least one object for display into the housing of the device at a site remote from a point of sale, the object containing a product for sampling; transporting the device from the remote site to the point of sale; and using the device to display the at least one object to consumers for purposes of testing the product.
 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the product comprises a lipstick product.
 36. The method of claim 34, wherein the object is removably locked to the housing prior to transporting the device, and wherein the object is removably locked to the housing during the using of the device to display. 